


On the Shores of Your Constellations

by FireHeartAW



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Magic, Boys In Love, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, celestial boys, sprinkles of kagehina because I can't help it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-13 13:00:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29402343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FireHeartAW/pseuds/FireHeartAW
Summary: “Okay...I think I’m ready. If it’s okay with you, I’d like to focus on the moon.” Yamaguchi looks up to him for approval, hazel eyes searching his features closely.“Of course, I’ll try to help as best I can.”Together they take a few deep breaths before settling into a constant rhythm. Still joined with hands and wrists, Tsukishima starts to hear the humming grow louder, begging to be commented on. But he doesn’t want to break the moment, and surely doesn’t want Yamaguchi to let go of his hands.Opening his eyes he looks down to his palms, the moon glow starting to show through his fingertips, tracing little patterns of light along Yamaguchi’s wrists. But when he looks up to Yamaguchi’s face, that’s when his axis shifts. Blinking slowly, he thinks he’s seeing stars, little dots of light trying to burst through Yamaguchi’s freckles, dancing overtop the focused lines of Yamaguchi’s face.
Relationships: Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi
Comments: 15
Kudos: 32
Collections: Among Friends Server Valentine's Day Fic Exchange





	On the Shores of Your Constellations

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bubbleguchi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bubbleguchi/gifts).



> For my lovely Deenie <3 I hope you enjoy this magic AU for your OTP. I absolutely loved writing it and I hope you enjoy reading it!!
> 
> I love you so much, thank you for being an absolutely wonderful person and an even better friend <3.

“Tsukki your powers! Look!” 

Tsukishima can remember his older brother announcing the manifestation of his powers like it was yesterday. It was a normal evening for them, spent walking along the shore of Amphitrite, their tiny coastal town on the outskirts of the greater magical city a little further inland. 

Akiteru had introduced his powers with a warm greeting, and they both watched as Tsukishima became the embodiment of the moon. The tides visibly climbed up the shore higher and higher to get into his presence, to feel his power. Looking down at his hands he remembers their distinct milky glow, and how he had flexed his fingers as if the moon was right there in his hands.

“We have to go tell mom! Ha, look at us. We both glow now.” His brother stepped alongside of him, glowing with a more yellow light like the fireflies they usually see in the tall grasses on the edge of town. 

That was seven years ago, and, now at 15, Tsukishima is standing alone in front of Amphitrite’s only school, created to help develop it’s students' powers before sending them off into the world. 

The class bell hasn’t rung yet to welcome them in, but still fellow students seem to have already gravitated towards each other, sharing their powers in little circles and forming cliques easily. 

“Yamaguchi, show us your powers!” 

“Yeah, Yamaguchi, do you still not have any yet?”

“Why even come to this school if you don’t have any? You’ll never be like us.”

Tsukishima looks over to where the voices are coming from and finds three boys crowding another up against the school’s outer wall. They continue to get closer and closer to his freckled face with each insulting question. 

Without thinking, Tsukishima heads that direction, his height causing classmates to move out of his way as if he has some kind of authority over them. 

“What are you doing?” he asks, his voice monotone, level, and bordering on uninterested.

The three boys turn to look at him, shrinking in fear from how much Tsukishima towers over them. 

“He doesn’t have any powers,” one of the shorter boys fires back with disgust lacing his tone. 

“If you’re so into powers, wouldn’t you know that some aren’t as powerful during the day?” Tsukishima responds, eyes turning up to the muted moon up in the blue sky waiting to shine this evening. 

Turning back to the group of boys, his eyes settle on the frightened one up against the wall. Hazel hair falls along the side of a face dotted with freckles that look like a summer sun gifted him over many years of playing outside. Honestly, he looks out of place, like a secret meadow amongst a bunch of thorny trees with these boys surrounding him. He must be staring too long because one of the other boys is getting more into his view, trying to get at eye level with his offender. 

“If you’re so high and mighty, what are your powers?”

“Why don’t you meet up with me at night and find out?” Tsukishima quips back with a sting, smirking down with a threatening gaze. He's had enough of dealing with these annoyances, already deciding he’s going to steer clear from them in class. 

One of them squeaks and takes off closer to the entrance of the school, the others following with glares as they leave the freckled boy behind. 

As Tsukishima is about to turn away and make himself scarce again, a small voice carries on the wind behind him. 

“Uhm – thank you, you didn’t have to do that.” 

Tsukishima turns back to the boy, his expression softening a bit before the bell breaks the moment.

***

The teacher begins by explaining how, usually, there are people who have powers that are complementary to each other, and she’d like to pair those people up to practice and work together.

Pulling out a list, she begins to announce the partnerships. Tsukishima just watches with minimal interest as classmates who were just beginning to become friends outside get paired together, their joy evident in their smiling faces. 

He watches one dark-haired boy look absolutely miserable to be paired with a boy who seems to be made of fire. So _much for complementary_ , he thinks.

“Tsukishima Kei,” he hears, and he listens in anticipation of being paired with someone too loud just like that dark-haired boy, “you’ll be paired with Yamaguchi Tadashi.” 

He gazes over the classroom, not noticing that the freckled boy from outside is actually already sitting behind him. 

“Oh perfect. Four eyes and no magic are paired up together. What a lovely match,” one of the annoying boys from the minor altercation announces to the class, his underlings laughing with him. 

“Sorry, Tsukki.” _Tsukki?!_

Turning in his chair to face Yamaguchi, Tsukishima finds him fiddling with his pens, avoiding eye contact in shame. 

“There’s nothing to be sorry for. Like I said, my powers don’t appear fully until night time. Yours may be the same.” He’ll let the nickname slide for now; honestly, he just wants his partner to be comfortable, especially after the minor altercation this morning. So if calling him ‘Tsukki’ helps, well, then so be it. 

The rest of the class day goes on without much fanfare. Their teacher hands out class books for them to read for homework. There’s studying to be done on powers, how to handle them, and how to overcome them if they become too powerful for the user. 

By the time class is over, the sun is just touching the horizon, signaling that night’s dark entrance is soon to come. 

Following Yamaguchi out of the classroom, he notices a slump in his shoulders, as if he’s carrying the weight of being powerless and burdening Tsukishima with his presence. 

“Try mediating tonight. I find it usually helps bring my powers to the surface, so it may be the same for you,” Tsukishima calls out, words bubbling out of his mouth before he has a chance to trap them. He’s never been one to speak to others first. Usually he just likes to quietly observe, but there’s something about this boy, _about those freckles_ that pull him in just like his powers do the tide. 

A small and shy smile graces Yamaguchi’s lips, “Thank you, Tsukki. I will.” 

With that, they go their separate ways for the night, the moon illuminating Tsukishima from the inside out, lighting his way home as it whispers it’s muted power just under his skin.

***

A few weeks go by without many problems. Yamaguchi still has yet to discover his powers, but they work well together, both finding comfort in their matching silence, getting their classwork done on tiny desks with ease.

Still, some boys like to pick on Yamaguchi, but they never do when Tsukishima is around. Tsukishima isn’t typically one to declare he has a friend, but the protectiveness he feels over Yamaguchi isn’t something he’s going to ignore. Maybe he’ll even tell his family he’s made a friend, he can imagine Akiteru’s joy now. 

The most endearing thing about Yamaguchi is how excited he is to talk about Tsukishima’s powers to their classmates, as if it’s his power and he’s just borrowing it. 

He smiles to himself, recalling one day when the boy with the fiery hair and matching personality asked what Tsukishima’s power was, getting much too in his face. That time, Yamaguchi had been more protective, stepping in between the two of them as if he understood how much Tsukishima finds comfort in maintaining his personal space. 

“Tsukki got his powers from the moon!” Yamaguchi had explained full of pride. 

“Yamaguchi,” Tsukishima had whispered. _There really was no need to announce it to the class, let alone to this particularly annoying boy._

“Sorry, Tsukki,” Yamaguchi had said, as he had many times now, in fact, and usually with an embarrassed hand snaking behind his head, a flush of pink usually climbing up his neck and between his freckles. 

Now that they are several weeks into the school year, the work has been more difficult, especially when it comes to demonstrations of their powers in front of the class. They utilize these as teachable moments to discuss the best way to defuse the situation, or utilize their individual powers.

Tsukishima watches as the sun seems to shine brighter in the room when the boy with orange hair presents his powers, the sun’s rays clinging to his skin like golden droplets of rain. His partner seems to be happily bathing in his warmth, but not before shutting him out completely. Darkness envelops the room and the sun within seconds, an exasperated huff coming from the shorter one at the front of the class.

“Wow,” a breathless voice whispers behind him. “You’re glowing.” Tsukishima stares down at his hands, flexing them in the other boy’s darkness, sending grey light across multiple desks and faces around him. 

Turning to face Yamaguchi, he actually smiles, one only meant for Yamaguchi in the darkness of this room. The moonlight glowing off his skin onto those strands of hair dancing down onto Yamaguchi’s freckles looks like it’s meant to be there, as if his power was pulling on Yamaguchi like it does the ocean.

“Okay class that's enough. We get it, boys, you’re all very strong and somehow all connected to the solar and lunar cycles – hmm odd,” the teacher mumbles to herself, trying to piece together how this managed to happen.

With a clap of her hands, they all snap back to attention, releasing the extension of their powers in the room. 

“I think it would be beneficial for you four to work together. I was about to hand out a project anyways, so maybe you can ask each other questions about your powers before the due date.”

Tsukishima watches in mirrored distaste with the dark-haired boy at the thought of them having to work together. _At least we have something in common._

The orange bundle of sun comes crashing towards the back of the classroom where Yamaguchi and Tsukishima sit, bounding over with a giant smile on his face. _Sorry, Yamaguchi. This one is all you_. But he didn’t have to say anything; he hears Yamaguchi chuckle behind him as if that sunny disposition is warming him up to the idea of working together. 

“Hi, Yamaguchi!! Hi, Tsukishima!! I’m so excited to work with you both.” 

The taller darker-haired boy comes sauntering behind him, much slower and completely disinterested. 

“This is Kageyama! Don’t worry, he looks like he hates the world. But, secretly, I think it’s because of his black hole powers - that personality must get sucked right in there haha!” 

“For the last time Hinata, they are not ‘black hole powers.’ It’s the _void of night_ ," Kageyama grits out, as if admitting it is painful. 

Tsukishima laughs to himself at the title Kageyama has given his powers, _the void of night_. 

“Haha! Tsukki thinks your powers are funny, Bakageyama,” Hinata teases. 

“Don’t call me that,” Tsukishima bites out before realizing how harsh he had made it sound. 

“But Yamaguc–” Hinata responds, tilting his head in confusion.

“Yamaguchi is the only one who can call me that.”

An air of silence fills the room for a brief moment. Even Hinata, who seems to always be opening his mouth, has his lips in a thin line, utterly shut up by Tsukishima’s cutting tone. 

“Okay, class,” the teacher _thankfully_ cuts in, Tsukishima thinks, feeling Yamaguchi’s eyes staring into his back. 

“I want you all to spend the next couple of days working on this project together. What I expect is that you will learn the ins and outs of each other’s powers. I want to see how your powers can work as individuals, as well as how you can utilize them together – especially to see if it makes your own powers stronger.” 

“Ha! I’m going to beat you, Kageyama,” Hinata challenges, still standing in front of Tsukishima’s desk like an unwelcome guest. 

“Dumbass, I’m the strongest one here,” Kageyama quips back, eyeing his partner with annoyance but also a bit of a challenge back. Even under his dark demeanor, it seems Hinata can bring some light out of him. Good for them, Tsukishima thinks dryly, rolling his eyes and turning back to look at an awaiting Yamaguchi. 

“They’re really something, aren’t they,” Yamaguchi chuckles lightly, looking past Tsukishima’s shoulder at a now bickering Hinata and Kageyama. 

“What they are is annoying.” Tsukishima leans forward, elbows resting on Yamaguchi’s desk. He lets his head fall into the crook of his arms, effectively drowning out the noise behind him.

“So...uhm...” Yamaguchi mumbles. Tsukishima can see him fidgeting with his feet. Clearly he’s nervous, but why? 

“I know you’re aware that I – well, I might not have any powers. But it sounds like we’d have to work together, so maybe we can uhm...hangout a–after school to work on the project?” Yamaguchi lets the words fall out of his mouth, getting quieter as his confidence dims along the way, but he still manages to say it at a level only Tsukishima can hear. 

Lifting his head, he meets Yamaguchi's nervous gaze. Noticing Yamaguchi’s hazel eyes dilate at the focus now given to him, Tsukishima watches as his shoulders curl in on themselves naturally, like he’s trying to hide after asking if they can spend some time together. 

“Sure. That’d be good. I’d like that,” Tsukishima responds easily, the corners of his mouth giving away his excitement. Silently he wishes for the school day to be over faster so they can work together. Laying his head back down in his arms, he hides, hoping that the boy looking down at him with a matching blush rising on his cheeks feels the same way. 

“We’re going to beat you two,” Hinata says behind Tsukishima, but Tsukishima’s really too lazy, and maybe a little distracted, to care. 

Yamaguchi, however, speaks up for the two of them. “We’ll just have to wait and see, but Tsukishima is really strong.” 

Tsukishima lifts his head and turns to Hinata to find a tiny, but somehow ferocious pout wrinkling his nose. Hinata audibly _humfs_ before pulling Kageyama back up towards their seats, probably coming up with some stupid idea that they think will be really cool. 

Eyes now back to the front of the class, Tsukishima responds, “You don’t have to speak for me you know.” 

“Ahh, sorry Tsukki!” Yamaguchi says quietly, and truthfully Tsukishima knows he means it, but he’s starting to like hearing his family’s nickname for him come from his freckled partner’s mouth. 

“Also,” Tsukishima sighs, “you’ve only just briefly seen my powers, so how would you know that they’re strong?” 

“I just have a feeling.” 

Tsukishima smiles to himself, quietly returning to his classwork, willing the day to go by faster.

***

That conviction stays with Tsukishima for the rest of the day, the simplicity of Yamaguchi’s words continuing to bustle through his organized mind like a comet in a night sky. He seems to speak so truthfully, with no judgements or ill-will behind his words, just honesty and kindness.

At one point, Yamaguchi had asked the teacher if they could stay after class to use this space to work on the project, and she agreed. Her only request is that they be done before sunset so that she can lock up. 

“So...the meditation you had brought up that one day,” Yamaguchi mumbles, almost a bit fearfully.

“Yes?”

“Well, I’m not sure I’m doing it right? I just feel like I sit there and focus on breathing, and nothing really happens, at least not that I can see,” he responds, holding his dead down a bit in shame. 

“How about we meditate together, maybe I can help,” and the way that sentence illuminates Yamaguchi’s features is something Tsukishima never wants to forget, as if he has starlight beaming through his eyes. 

Taking that as a yes, he reaches out, wordlessly offering his hands to his partner. “It’s easier this way, uhm, if you don’t mind. And maybe,” Tsukishima debates briefly, “maybe my power will help yours appear?”

At first, Yamaguchi just stares at his hands, his eyes tracing the lines of his palms. But then he finally brushes his fingertips lightly over Tskukishima’s wrists, their palms lining up perfectly. Tsukishima closes his fingers around Yamaguchi’s freckled wrists gently, encouraging Yamaguchi to do the same to his. With a squeeze he questions and, the moment Yamaguchi answers with his own light pressure, Tsukishima feels a thrum in his power – as if a chord has snapped into place on a harp begging to be played. Yamaguchi doesn’t seem to notice it so he continues, choosing to ignore the feeling pulling on his power. 

“Okay, so, let’s breathe together, alright? Maybe let’s focus on something celestial considering the teacher had mentioned we seem to all be tied to the solar and lunar cycles,” Tsukishima considers, asking his power to come to life in his hands and illuminate Yamaguchi’s palm. But it’s too early in the evening, the sun still hasn’t set, and all Tsukishima can feel is the magnetism of the tides along the shore at the edge of town. 

“Okay...I think I’m ready. If it’s okay with you, I’d like to focus on the moon.” Yamaguchi looks up to him for approval, hazel eyes searching his features closely. 

“Of course, I’ll try to help as best I can.” 

Together they take a few deep breaths before settling into a constant rhythm. Still joined with hands and wrists, Tsukishima starts to hear the humming grow louder, begging to be commented on. But he doesn’t want to break the moment, and surely doesn’t want Yamaguchi to let go of his hands. 

Opening his eyes he looks down to his palms, the moon glow starting to show through his fingertips, tracing little patterns of light along Yamaguchi’s wrists. But when he looks up to Yamaguchi’s face, that’s when his axis shifts. Blinking slowly, he thinks he’s seeing stars, little dots of light trying to burst through Yamaguchi’s freckles, dancing overtop the focused lines of Yamaguchi’s face. 

He leans in, trying to get a closer look, wanting to wish on those stars like the ones that shoot across the sky. But then the moment shifts back, the stars flickering away as Yamaguchi opens his eyes, suddenly inches away from Tsukishima’s – who’s just now realizing how much he leaned in. 

“Tsukki? Is everything okay?” Yamaguchi questions as if he’s putting the blame on himself for the break in the moment. 

Looking down at their hands still locked together, Tsukishima answers, “Sorry. Everything’s fine, but did you feel anything this time?”

“I thought so, maybe for a moment – but, honestly, Tsukki, it felt just like I was borrowing your power? If that makes sense.” 

Tsukishima considers it for a moment – he had heard of this happening before but never once witnessed it. Plus, he’s still convinced that Yamaguchi has his own powers, especially now that he’s realizing the humming power that was laying between their palms has ceased now that Yamaguchi’s stopped trying. 

“Oh, uh - sorry,” Yamaguchi says quietly, gently pulling his hands away from Tsukishima’s grip. 

“It’s okay, Yamaguchi, I’m the one who suggested it,” he responds, hands already getting colder in his lap from the lack of contact. 

“Thank you, Tsukki.” The shame eases out of Yamaguchi’s voice, genuine kindness now replaces it. 

“Of course, we can keep trying. It might be good to see how it works with Hinata or Kageyama. Although, I don’t know their method of getting their powers to work.”

“That sounds good!! We can ask them tomorrow, which, speaking of,” Yamaguchi says, sighing and looking outside the class windows at the dusky sky, “we should probably get going before it’s dark out.” 

Tsukishima could easily light the way home for them anyday, but he doesn’t want to push that – not when Yamaguchi feels like he tried and failed to bring his powers to the surface. Plus, Tsukishima is eager to get home. He wants to take a look at his textbooks and research celestial magic to see if it really is possible to ‘borrow’ someone else’s powers. Maybe Akiteru knows something about it. 

“Good idea. I have some stuff to do anyways,” he says, and they quietly amble out of the classroom, mumbling goodbyes as they each walk a different way home. 

Tsukishima hums to himself as he walks, not really paying attention to where he’s going, until it’s too late. He somehow strayed from the path home, and is currently stumbling through the sand on the shore of that beach on the edge of town – the same one where he first discovered his powers. 

He sees the waves greet him, lapping at his feet as he gets closer to the water’s edge and looks up. The moon is not too far from full, which is honestly how Tsukishima has felt recently. As if his ‘dark side’ was always a part of the face he showed the world, but now – now with Yamaguchi it feels much brighter. He chuckles to himself thinking of how weird it is for him to admit he has a friend now, _he has a friend now_ , and it settles deeper. _But what if he’s more_ , the light side of the moon pushes harder, his fingers starting to glow in response. 

Now back home, he stands in front of Akiteru’s door, hand up and ready to knock for permission to enter, when the door flies open with a seemingly rushing Akiteru.

“Hi, Kei, sorry I gotta–” he blinks slowly, waiting for Tsukishima to give him the reason he’s standing at his door.

“Akirteru, can you hel–” Tsukishima starts quietly. He’s not usually one to come to Akiteru for anything in the first place.

“Wait. WAIT! Are you coming to me for advice right now?!” 

Tsukishima just rolls his eyes. He should’ve known this was going to be a bad idea, especially considering he spends most nights in his room reading about science or listening to music - _alone_.

“Mom!’ Akiteru yells down the hallway, his face breaking out into a huge smile. “Kei is coming to me for help with something, oooh or someone?!” He wiggles his eyebrows at that, earning a disgruntled _hmph_ from Tsukishima. 

“Oh my god. Forget it,” Tsukishima quips back, turning on his heels to head back to his solitude. 

A hand reaches out to grab him, a yellow glow illuminating his wrist in the dimly lit hallway. “I’m messing with you, Kei. Come on,” he says warmly, moving out of the way of his bedroom door to let Tsukishima in. 

“Although, I do hope it’s about someone,” and the door is shut behind him, his path to escape closed and his brother expectant. 

“Ugh, okay, so yes it’s about someone, and before you get all weird, no it’s not like that,” Tsukishima says, laying down a foundation for hopefully a productive conversation. 

“Okay, but you’re not really saying you _don’t_ like this person, just that it’s apparently ‘not like that,’” Akiteru presses, a smile growing on his face at the apparent idea that Tsukishima might have a school crush. 

“Anyways,” Tsukishima says lazily, willing his face to be devoid of any emotions. 

“Oh well, okay I see you’re back to your regular self. What do you need?” Akiteru questions positively, his eyes lighting up with the yellow light glowing under his skin.

“Can people borrow powers from someone?” Tsukishima watches as Akiteru looks at him skeptically, probably wondering who he’s talking about.

“I mean, technically no. I don’t think there’s really anything written about that, but there was a girl around when I was in school who didn’t seem to have any powers until another person had a music talent and it helped her power grow – hers ended up being related to music as well if I’m recalling correctly,” Akiteru rambles, looking up to his ceiling unfocused as if actually searching for the memories.

“But I’m interested in what you mean by this. Where did you get that someone can borrow someone else’s powers?”

“Well, there’s this guy in my class who just doesn’t seem to have any, but we got put on a project together, and we were practicing this afternoon after school, and I could feel...hmm I don’t really know how to put it. Like, as if his powers were right there begging mine to pull them out,” Tsukishima claims.

He watches the cogs turn in Akiteru’s head. “Remember seven years ago, when we were at the beach and your powers finally appeared? Maybe if you bring him there, if it really feels like his powers are reacting to yours, maybe his will appear as well,” he says it so matter of factly that Tsukishima is actually annoyed he didn’t think of that first. 

He thinks on it more, recalling how just a few hours ago now he had found himself at that beach, as if it knew this would happen, as if the moon was watching and was pulling on him just like the currents. 

When he finally leaves Akiteru’s incessant questioning about this boy, his problems with his powers and who he is to Tsukki, he finds himself laying on his bed with sleep close by to pull him under. The moonlight that seeps through the blinds bathes Tsukishima in an ethereal glow, and he watches his powers respond to it, and when he finally dreams that night he dreams of freckles and stars, all while feeling as though the tides are pulling at his feet, asking him to visit. 

_I will_ , he thinks in a moment between being awake and asleep, and then the moon finally chases him and puts him under its spell.

***

“Hey Hinata!” Yamaguchi calls out across the classroom to a now beaming Hinata. He comes over to their desks, eager to hear what it is that Yamaguchi has to say.

“What’s up Yams!” 

Tsukishima scrunches his nose at that one. ‘Yams.’ Where does this kid get all his energy and _annoying_ nature from?

Brushing that aside, Yamaguchi continues. “Would you and Kageyama maybe be up to meet up with us after class today?” Some fingertips behind him lightly graze his back, probably just from Yamaguchi stretching across his desk. “I’d like to try something out concerning my powers, after uhm chatting with Tsukishima last night.” Hinata looks back at Kageyama who gives him a questioning glare. 

“Yes, and yes for Grumpyama too. I’m excited to see what we’re going to do!” Hinata replies, already heading back to his desk with the sunlight from the windows seeming to follow close behind him.

“Well, now that that’s handled, we can get on with another day of minimal socialization and homework,” Yamaguchi says, tone unfamiliar to what Tsukishima has been used to with him.

Without looking behind him he asks, “What’s wrong?” and he hears a heavier sigh follow. 

“I just...don’t want to hold you guys back. I feel like I’m burdening you by taking up so much of your time and theirs as well.” He sighs. 

Tsukishima turns around in his seat and finds Yamaguchi looking down at his desk, hiding those freckled galaxies. 

“Hey,” Tsukishima says, laying a hand on Yamaguchi’s desk to get his attention. When Yamaguchi looks up and meets his eyes, he sees the pain behind the usually friendly gaze, as if he’s been holding in this so-called failure his whole life.

“First of all, you are not a burden,” Tsukishima attests, looking away to hide his blush from the way Yamaguchi visibly brightens. 

“Second, those idiots,” he emphasizes with an eye roll, pushing his glasses up on his nose. “They clearly do not think you’re a burden, if anything Kageyama is the one burdened with Hinata.” 

When Yamaguchi laughs, Tsukishima returns his focus to find those freckles, distracted by how they’re now being gilded in the glow from the mid-morning sun lazing through the classroom windows. _Like little stars_ , he thinks wanting to trace patterns along them with his moonlit fingers. 

“Thanks Tsukki,” Yamaguchi mumbles softly, that familiar warm pink creeping up his neck and to the tops of his ears. _Would you let me chart those stars, Yamaguchi?_

“Uhm, Tsukki?” Yamaguchi questions, eyebrows wrinkling with concern and confusion. 

“Is there something on my fac–” 

“No. No, sorry. Uhm, you’re welcome,” Tsukishima says, rushing to get the words out and turning in his chair to face the front of the classroom again – hoping it wasn’t extremely obvious that he was imagining holding Yamaguchi’s face in his hands. He tries to focus on the teacher’s lecture – something about some physical places holding a sort of concentration of power and how it can help people tap into their power more. 

He sits idly by, twirling a pen between his long fingers, completely lost in the tides of his thoughts. He can’t get yesterday out of his mind, the feeling of Yamaguchi’s hands in his own, the song of power beneath his skin, the little flashes of light around Yamaguchi’s freckles. So the class day passes with him swimming in these thoughts, wondering if, somehow, Yamaguchi thinks of him like this too.

***

By the time the class day ends Tsukishima can barely remember what happened in today’s lectures. Lost in his thoughts all day, it’s not until Hinata comes bouncing over that he snaps out of it.

“Hi, guys! So you wanted to see our powers right? Practice with us,” he says pointing to a much grumpier Kageyama behind him. 

“Yeah if you don’t mind, I don’t want to, bu–” Yamaguchi starts, but Tsukishima cuts him off.

“Just take us to where you practice, assuming it’s not here considering this is where Yamaguchi and I have been and we would’ve seen you.”

“Ohh, Tsukishima is so smart hmm,” Hinata hums, nudging Tsukishima’s shoulder with a fist. 

Tsukishima stands, brushing off his much smaller classmate with the movement.

“ _Ugh_ , and just as grumpy as Kageyama,” Hinata sighs, turning towards the door with his backpack falling behind him at an odd angle.

Kageyama just grumbles and follows his much sunnier counterpart, and Yamaguchi laughs. It sounds like wind through the tall grass where the fireflies live. Soft and warm, but with little flashes of light mixed throughout. 

“They really are something else,” he continues to laugh, grabbing his bag off of the classroom floor. “Although, they’re kind of perfect for each other.” 

“Hmm, how so,” Tsukishima questions, skeptical as to what Yamaguchi could possibly see. 

He ambles behind Yamaguchi, eager to hear his hypothesis for how they could possibly be ‘perfect’ for each other. 

“Well, for one, have you seen the way Kageyama looks at Hinata?”

“You mean angry, annoyed, frustrated...should I continue?”

“Hah no, Tsukki,” he chuckles, slowing his pace to walk out of the classroom with him. “Kageyama is totally in love with him,” Yamaguchi whispers, careful to not let their classmates hear.

“Oh my god, well they’re both idiots so maybe they are the perfect pair, but I really have no idea what you’re talking about,” Tsukishima protests.

“I mean he gets all soft around him. Trust me, you’ll probably see what I mean right now with us practicing together. Iit kind of reminds me of how you can be really kind with me sometimes.” 

Tsukishima stops in his tracks, just under the doorframe of the classroom. His heart thunders in his chest, and he watches as Yamaguchi realizes he’s no longer following, _did he just say – no_. 

He sees the realization hit Yamaguchi’s face as he probably goes back through the conversation, his own eyes widening in fear of the indirect, unspoken confession from Tsukishima. He’s not even really sure it is a confession. He didn’t say anything, but the way Yamaguchi had included him in the same thought of Kageyama being in love with Hinata to how he is with him almost confirms it. 

“Oi!! Are you two star boys just going to stand there all day, or are you coming with us?!” Hinata yells to them across the grassy courtyard, laying on Kageyama's shoulder like a sunburn – obnoxious but still warm. 

This is probably the only time that Tsukishima will be thankful for Hinata. He broke the moment perfectly, although, there are still a lot of unsaid words hanging in the air between him and Yamaguchi. He walks past his friend, nodding in his direction in an invitation to follow him, hoping the awkwardness will continue to dissipate now that they’ll be busy with sun-boy and darkness himself. 

“Woohoo!” Hinata shouts, jumping in the air with a kick of his heels, and already the sun is shining down on him more, bathing him in golden-hour light. And he sees it, the softness Yamaguchi was talking about. Kageyama is smiling gently, enough that Hinata probably won’t see it in all of his bustling about, but it’s there – soft, just like Yamaguchi had said. He looks over to Yamaguchi who’s now at his side, a matching smile on his face at the joy Hinata injects into the world. 

“You were right,” Tsukishima says, choosing his next words carefully, “they definitely are _something else_.”

Yamaguchi hums in agreement, the tension evaporating as they follow their classmates deeper into the forest.

***

By the time they get to their destination, the sun is already about to lay on the horizon, but Hinata doesn’t seem to mind. He places Yamaguchi and Tsukishima in the middle of a forest-lined meadow, asking them to sit in the remaining sunlight that cuts through the trees.

Kageyama leans against a tree on the outside of the circle, watching Hinata like a hawk. Analytical and quiet, but still _watching_ him. 

“Okay! So hmm..” Hinata hums, fingers lightly tapping on his leg in thought. 

“It’s kind of hard to explain, but I try to just focus on what makes me happy? I would say ‘go to your happy place,’ but that sounds like such a cliche,” he cuts off sharply as Kageyama laughs in the background. 

“As if you’re not a walking cliche. Look at your hair with your powers!” Kageyama teases, still outside the circle.

“Shut up, Bakageyama. Can’t you see I’m busy?” Hinata discerns with a scowl.

“Will you please, just get on with it?” Tsukishima almost whines, tired of this idea already. 

“Yamaguchi, will you hold his hand?” Hinata asks, nodding in Tsukishima’s direction. 

Tsukishima’s heart starts to race again, keeping in time with the rhythm of the singing cicadas in the trees. He feels soft fingers ask to be let into his palm and hopes his hands aren’t sweaty, slowly opening them up he feels the now familiar weight find its place in his fingers. 

“Okay good,” Hinata smiles, beaming at them with that sunny glow. “Now focus on your powers – Yamaguchi maybe think of the planets, or the moon – I mean he is right next to you.”

Yamaguchi snorts a bit at that, but closes his eyes, gripping Tsukishima’s hand a bit tighter as he feels the warmth of the sun burn a bit stronger. He can see the orange glow creating a halo around their shadows on the ground, but Tsukishima feels that magnetic pull he’s felt many times before and leans into it, closing his eyes and joining Yamaguchi. 

And then the humming starts again, the power feeling as though it’s breathing through his chest and down into his palms. 

“Whoa,” he hears Hinata whisper, the sound of feet crunching on the ground getting closer to the center of the circle where they’re sitting. 

“Hey, stop trying to eclipse me,” Hinata chides, kicking Tsukishima’s knee. 

The moment falls apart when Tsukishima opens his eyes and scowls at Hinata. Yamaguchi’s hand still rests in his palm, but Tsukishima feels the weight of it start to lighten now that they’ve broken out of the focus. 

“What the hell do you mean, ‘eclipse’ you?” Tsukishima commands. 

“Whatever the hell you were doing, you started to block out my sun completely. Kind of like Kageyama does, but with more...structure to it? If that makes sense,” Hinata answers, head tilting up in his own confusion as he tries to figure out what just happened. 

“Well, clearly this isn’t working, so I think Yamaguchi and I should just continue to practice on our own,” Tsukishima offers, standing up pulling Yamaguchi up with him. 

Still holding his hand, Tsukishima heads in the direction of the place that’s been actively trying to call on him this whole time. His mind pulls out the details of today’s lecture despite him thinking he hadn’t paid enough attention. _Places holding a concentration of power, helping people tap into their power more_. 

“Thank you, Hinata!” Yamaguchi yells behind him, dragging along at a slower pace.

“Hey, what’s wrong with you, hmm?” Yamaguchi asks, stepping up beside Tsukishima, releasing his hand in the process.

“Nothing. There’s no point in working with them, I have an idea.” 

“Mmkay, but it’s getting dark out,” Yamaguchi cautions as they continue to move through the forest toward the edge of town. 

“That’s the point, I think tonight is supposed to be close to a full moon. It definitely feels that way,” Tsukishima says, looking down at the calm light trying to move through his hands. 

Yamaguchi doesn’t say anything more, just continues to keep up with Tsukishima as they finally reach the beach that started it all. 

The sun is far behind the horizon now, it’s golden glow nowhere to be found. Instead the moon sits above the water line, sending a pearlescent reflection along the ocean’s calm waves.

“Perfect,” Tsukishima sighs, the weight of the day leaving him as he feels the tides pull on him.

“Do you trust me?” Tsukishima asks, gazing at Yamaguchi from the side. 

“Always. You’ve never given me a reason not to,” Yamaguchi attests, looking at the moon in awe. 

Tsukishima allows himself to steal a moment of peace, breathing in slowly as he notices the power swimming beneath his skin, begging to be released. He grabs Yamaguchi’s hand again, pulling him closer to the water until the waves start to lap at their feet. 

He watches as Yamaguchi wordlessly takes his shoes and socks off, trusting in every moment that he stands with Tsukishima. 

Tsukishima does the same and extends his hands out just like he had in the classroom. His heart skips a bit differently now, still nervous but confident under the light of the moon. 

Yamaguchi takes a deep breath before reaching his hands out above Tsukishima’s, exhaling as he brings their palms together. He feels Yamaguchi’s fingertips wrap around his wrists. His power concentrates on that spot as it glows under Yamaguchi’s fingers. 

“Okay, try closing your eyes again,” Tsukishima urges, the waves pushing on their legs more and more with every waking moment. 

He watches as Yamaguchi closes his eyes with a hopeful exhale, his features relaxing as he focuses on their clenched hands. Tsukishima closes his own eyes, and the moment he calls on his power, he feels it surge to the surface, as if he had been holding it back all week. 

Ignoring the desire to open his eyes, he sinks in deeper, begging the moon itself to illuminate Yamaguchi’s powers. _Show us what you are_. 

That song comes back to him, the thrum of power beneath his skin creating goosebumps that start at his fingers, down his shoulders and through his legs. He feels Yamaguchi tremble at the sudden increase in power, and realizes that the only way Yamaguchi would be able to feel that is if his own powers have manifested, so he opens his eyes. 

Light bursts of lavender, paint strokes of pink, and blooms of red float around them. Little stars flicker within the colorful clouds forming patterns and constellations he’s only read about in books. The reflection off of the muted black water at their feet throws a dusting of color and dashes of light across Yamaguchi’s skin. 

Looking around, Tsukishima is certain he’s never seen anything so beautiful in his life, but then he really looks at Yamaguchi, his nose scrunching with focus and his hands sweaty against Tsukishima’s palms and realizes that the boy in front of him is more beautiful than all of it. He takes a silent step forward, closing the distance between them as he disrupts the waves at their feet. Galaxies and constellations continue to float around Yamaguchi as if he’s the center of their universe. And suddenly, the moon too, is slipping into his gravitational pull. 

“Yamaguchi,” he whispers, careful not to break the power that they’ve locked onto. But Yamaguchi still doesn’t hear him as he dives deeper, as if the depth to the universe is truly endless – and he watches as the constellations continue to grow around them with every inhale in his partner’s chest. Despite the celestial beauty surrounding him, Tsukishima can’t look away from Yamaguchi’s face; the freckles on his skin beam with a familiar glow – one that calls and calls and calls, _I’m here if you’ll let me be_ , they seem to say.

“Tadashi,” he mumbles even quieter, and slowly Yamaguchi opens his eyes. The colors of the galaxies reflect in them, fragments of color settling within his hazel eyes as if they’re meant to be there. He hears Yamaguchi take the sharpest breath, words choking in the back of his throat as he realizes what he’s done. 

Tsukishima moves even closer, their chests lightly touching now as he looks down at him. “This is all you,” he confirms, making sure Yamaguchi doesn’t feel in any way inadequate. And then Yamaguchi smiles up at the stars spinning slowly around them, and they pause in their endless glittering, hesitating in their movements around them as if they want to catch a glimpse of the universe that’s shining right here in Tsukishima’s hands. 

“You’re beautiful, Tadashi,” Tsukishima sighs softly, feeling the moon beneath his skin glow in agreement. 

When Yamaguchi finally meets Tsukishima’s eyes, he visibly softens as gentle tears form in the corners of his eyes. He succumbs to them, the weight of finally having his power come to life visibly lifting off of his shoulders, and the tears fall freely, forming paths of glowing water down his face. Without thinking Tsukishima reacts, releasing one of Yamaguchi’s hands to gently tilt his chin up and wipe away the ears with a tender stroke of his thumb – but he keeps his hand there, holding him and his stars close.Then Yamaguchi leans into it, and Tsukishima’s never felt so drawn to anything or _anyone_ in his life.

“Kei?” he whispers like a question, and Tsukishima wants nothing more than to answer. But he sees Yamaguchi's eyes flutter closed, and he leans in, centimeters from Yamaguchi's freckled lips, and he answers. 

“Tadashi,” he sighs, bringing their lips together gently. The universes beneath their skin collide in a beautiful crescendoing light, the stars around them seeming to breathe with joy as they pull in to get a closer look, the galaxies surrounding them in a colorful embrace. 

Breaking apart he exhales, still holding onto Yamaguchi’s face, gently brushing the freckles of light that dash across Yamaguchi’s cheeks, nose, and lips. 

“Thank you. Thank you for believing in me,” Yamaguchi says, throwing his head back in utter elation, the smile on his face just as bright as the stars floating above him. And then he breaks from Tsukishima’s hold, touching fingertips to starlight, splashing in the waves, laughing every time he gets Tsukishima more soaked with moonlit water. Tsukishima swears that with every bout of laughter the constellations burn brighter, so he just watches in awe, never truly taking his focus off of Yamaguchi. And despite the cold water dripping down his skin, he wouldn’t trade this moment for the world – or _universe_. 

Tsukishima has felt alone for most of his life, much like the moon that’s always bloomed so brightly within the night’s dark embrace. But he was so focused on keeping to himself, he failed to realize that the stars have been with him all this time. Even in the weeks that they’ve known each other, Yamaguchi has never once left Tsukishima’s side. He’s always been there, secretly glowing in quiet support, never failing to provide a sense of comfort since that first day.

“No, Tadashi. Thank you,” he says, and they continue to spend the night at the water’s edge, splashing in the light of the moon on the shores of Yamaguchi’s constellations.

***

“Okay class, I’d like to hear how practicing with your partners has gone this week. Any volunteers?” the professor asks, looking pointedly in Yamaguchi and Tsukishima’s direction.

Hinata waves his hands in the air, squawking as he usually does when something excites him. 

“Yes, Hinata?” she sighs, giving up on the two other celestial students in the back of the room. 

“Thank god,” Yamaguchi chuckles behind Tsukishima, somehow always in agreement as if he can read Tsukishima’s mind. Because Tsukishima almost wants to keep their moment for himself, as if the stars in the sky shine only for him within _their_ universe. And when he looks out of the classroom windows, the warmth of the previous night still glowing through his hands he sees the moon, lonely in the daylight sun against the diluted cyan sky. But he knows that right next to his moon are millions of stars, waiting to glow right alongside of him – throwing light onto his darkest sides and glowing for him when he can’t. 

As the school day comes to a close, announcing the arrival of the weekend, Tsukishima smiles waiting for Yamaguchi to join him out in the courtyard.

“You two are being weird. What changed?” Hinata asks pointedly at Tsukishima, who promptly ignores him. 

He feels Yamaguchi step into place at his side, the power under his skin begging to reach out to the light of his stars. 

“Come on, dumbass, leave them alone,” Kageyama groans, grabbing Hinata by the wrist and wrapping his body in darkness as they walk away.

Bickering can be heard several feet outside of the courtyard as they disappear into Amphitrite’s forests, little blasts of sun rays bursting through the treetops in argument. 

Yamaguchi laughs, just as light and airy as before, but this time the stars laugh with him. Just above his freckles, small stars sparkle within Yamaguchi’s joy, illuminating his features in an ethereal glow. 

“Let’s go, Tsukki!” He smiles, fitting his fingers within Tsukishima’s, sending stars up his arms all the way up into his hair. Yamaguchi pulls on him, leading him through a trail of stardust towards the edge of town, to the shores he knows so well. And when Yamaguchi smiles back at him, he knows that on any night, in every universe, he’ll always have _these_ stars to lead him home. So he glows too, wholly and unabashedly, the moon rests within starlit fingers – finally full.

**Author's Note:**

> Let's be honest, I wish I had powers that came from something celestial!! Writing this was so so fun and I absolutely love the Tsukkiyama dynamic! I had to sprinkle in little bits of Kagehina of course <3
> 
> DEEN, I hope you enjoyed and I hope I did your boys justice!!
> 
> Huge shoutout and hugs to my lovely beta readers: [the sweet and always so kind, Meeks](https://archiveofourown.org/users/meeks00/works?fandom_id=758208) and [the 'Samu to my 'Tsumu, Jenna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChaoticFriendly).


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